It worked out in the end. After months of the exceptional situation due to the (COVID-19) pandemic, in which almost all on-site events were cancelled, on the 22nd of August, we invited participants to the large venue of “Refugio” in Berlin. Already before entering the venue, the participants were not only informed about the applicable hygiene rules, but also stepped into the roles of migrants in our EduLARP “Minosia Labyrinth”, an interactive simulation and role play on the topic of migration and inclusion. More than 20 multipliers from socio-cultural and educational organizations came together to learn about the new development of the method. Under the umbrella of the “Erasmus+ Program”, Minosia Labyrinth was developed through a strategic partnership project over a time frame of three years, coordinated by solar e.V. The key objective of this project was to involve migrants and refugee in all phases of the game development process, starting from research and development to testing and training of tutors.
Minosia Labyrinth aims to raise awareness on the complexities of the migration process and the difficulties migrants and refugees face in Europe. For this reason, our focus in the multiplier event was to make the techniques and approach of the educational method for the participants as practical as possible. That wasn’t an easy task under the (COVID-19) hygiene restrictions. Fortunately, we were able to find a suitable and spacious venue for the event in the “Refugio” project house. Refugio is an intercultural community center where migrants and locals live and work together.
In the first hour of the event, the participants got some first insights into Minosia Labyrinth, which we reflected on afterwards. At the end of the first phase many of the participants became highly motivated to implement the game themselves.
During the second part of the event, the participants got informed about the background of the project and the specific features of the method (EduLARP). They learned more about the goals of the method and our project network. We also informed them about the planned nationwide expansion of the network of tutors, as well as about the next planned national game applications.
At the end it became clear that many participants would like to use the game as an educational tool in their communities or in their work. Thus, there were many questions about possible target groups, required resources and possible support structures.